Last Update: July 28 2010
At least 8 new faces on city council this election ... http://bit.ly/c3ngiX
 
The Columns Archive :: Other Publications Print this page   Send this page to a friend   Facebook MySpace Reddit Digg del.icio.us Twitter 
2010-05-03 Lobbying is a legitimate, if not essential, democratic activity
The Hill Times
Published: Monday, May 3, 2010Source: http://www.hilltimes.com/page/view/robinson-05-03-2010 (note, restricted access)Lobbying public office holders is legitimate activityRecent events have magnified interest in lobbying. The reality of lobbying in Canada is neither salacious nor unethical as perpetuated by some critics. Recent events have magnified interest in lobbying and lobbyi...More


2010-04-22 Auditor points out shortcoming in federal IT systems
Niagara Falls Review
Published: Thursday, April 22, 2010Auditor points out critical systems in danger of collapsingBack in my days with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (1997-2003), reports from the auditor general -- l...More

2010-04-15 MPs can carve out niche on Parliament Hill
Niagara Falls Review
Published: Thursday, April 15, 2010MPs can carve out niche on Parliament HillGiven present happenings on Parliament Hill, these are not good times to be a federal politician, or as Michael Ignatieff ...More

2010-04-10 Libs conference could chart new course for party
Niagara Falls Review
Published: Thursday, April 1, 2010Thinkers' conference could help revive Liberal partyWith the Canada150 "ideas" conference from this past weekend now concluded, the focus for federal Liberals return...More

2009-09-09 Hudak debuts as leader on Monday (Welland Tribune)
Welland Tribune
Published: Wednesday, September 9, 2009Hudak marks his debut as Progressive Conservative leader next MondayWhile most folks in Ottawa will focus on the return of the House of Commons this coming Monday am...More

2009-08-21 Political calculations vs. rational thought (North Bay Nugget)
North Bay Nugget
Published: Friday, August 21, 2009Political calculations likely to trump rational thoughtWith the summer weather finally here, the last thing most folks in Ottawa (or across Canada for that matter) want ...More

2009-08-19 Fall election could become a reality (Sudbury Star)
Sudbury Star
Published: Wednesday, August 19, 2009Expect the worst -- the odds favour a fall federal electionWith the summer weather finally here, the last thing most folks in Ottawa (or across Canada for that matter) wa...More

2009-07-03 Social media is here, real and transformative (Sudbury Star)
Sudbury Star
Published: Friday, July 3, 2009Media at forefront of telling stories by social mediaAnother Canada Day is in the books as we move toward Canada's 150th birthday in 2017. For all of our supposed self-awarenes...More

2009-02-11 Eat it and don't weep over market reality (Calgary Sun)
Calgary Sun
Published: Wednesday, February 11, 2009It's the market, so eat it don't weep Monday's Heart and Stroke Foundation annual report should have been given a big pass by the media. Instead, the palpitations in new...More

2009-01-28 Ingatieff won't pounce ... yet (Calgary Sun)
Calgary Sun
Published: Wednesday, January 28, 2009Ignatieff won't pounce yet ... only one shot Yesterday Finance Minister Jim Flaherty tabled Budget 2009, arguably, the most important budget since Paul Martin's landmark ...More

2008-11-12 Lessons learned from Obama campaign (Toronto Sun)
Toronto Sun
Published: Wednesday, November 12, 2008Our pols will learn from Obama campaignWith Parliament set to open next week, both major parties will continue to fine tune their election machines fora vote that could ...More

2007-09-29 Landsdwne Proposal (Ottawa Citizen)
Ottawa Citizen
Published: Saturday, September 29, 2007It looks like we have a winner for LansdowneThe future of Lansdowne Park is back on the radar screen at City Hall. During my eight months as Chief of Staff to the Ma...More

2005-07-05 Post-election blues (Ottawa Business Journal)
Ottawa Business Journal
Published: Monday, July 5, 2004Election battle ends, fight for caucus/Cabinet begins

Mauril Belanger will likely emerge as the top dog for the Liberals in Ottawa thanks to his discipline and deme...More

2004-02-17 Policy ideas for the new Tory party (National Post)
National Post
Published: Tuesday, February 17, 2004A new opening for ConservativesPaul Martin's two-month honeymoon with Canadian voters has ended faster than a reality-TV marriage. Another woman has entered the picture...More

2002-04-26 BC Health Care Reforms (Vancouver Sun)
Vancouver Sun
Published: Friday, April 26, 2002Health reforms focus on costs, while ignoring big pictureOn Tuesday, the B.C. government unveiled its plans through the new health authorities to restructure health service...More

2002-09-23 A GST hike could be in the cards (Calgary Sun)
Calgary Sun
Published: Monday, July 22, 2002We have much to fearThe goods and services tax (GST), pollsters tell us, is the most hated tax in recent Canadian history. Yet the pollsters also tell us that Canadians would ...More

2002-07-22 What accountability? (Calgary Sun)
Calgary Sun
Published: Monday, July 22, 2002Feds have some nerve
Liberals preach double standardWhen it comes to governance and accountability, the feds should practice BEFORE they preach.Recently leaders in the account...More

2002-06-18 Taxes that are good for you (Calgary Sun)
Calgary Sun
Published: Tuesday, June 18, 2002Taxes that are 'good' for usWith the three-ring parliamentary circus of "sponsorgate," the PMs ethics-shmethics package and the Liberal party's civil war set to wind down wit...More

2002-04-30 It's tax deadline day (Calgary Sun)
Calgary Sun
Published: Tuesday, April 30, 2002Annual agony almost overForget winter, spring, summer and fall, Canada has three real seasons: hockey, construction and tax time. Thankfully, April 30th represents the end o...More

2002-04-26 The cities agenda is a double-edged sword (Calgary Sun)
Calgary Sun
Published: Friday, April 26, 2002Urban angstThe premise that our national economic future is inextricably intertwined with that of our urban regions should be self-evident. In this century, city-states are w...More

2002-04-16 Air travel tax should be grounded (Globe and Mail)
Globe and Mail
Published: Tuesday, April 16, 2002This air travel tax shouldn't flyEarlier this week, the federal Liberal government shutdown debate for the 75th time since taking power in 1993. This time it was to ram t...More

2002-03-09 Liberal vanity and the Sea King file (Calgary Sun)
Calgary Sun
Published: Sunday, March 9, 2002Paying price for Liberal VanityIn 1993, the Liberals rode to power by promising to cancel the GST, roll back NAFTA, restore integrity to public life and cancel the PC's $5.8 b...More

2002-03-03 Open minds necessary as Romanow begins (Calgary Herald)
Calgary Sun
Published: Sunday, March 3, 2002Open minds create a healthy debateTommorrow Roy Romanow kicks off his ten-week, 18-city national public consultation tour in Regina. His commission is attempting to engage as ...More

2002-02-10 Romanow's early work doen't look promising (Calgary Sun)
Calgary Sun
Published: Sunday, February 10, 2002Romanow's chatter holds little promiseThis week, Roy Romanow released his interim report looking at the future of health care. Bottom line: there were not great surprises ...More

2001-06-27 Policy is the key to toppling the Liberals (National Post)
National Post
Published: Wednesday, June 27, 2001Policy is the antidoteWith our opposition parties terminally engaged in navel-gazing leadership and political structure battles, and the Liberals governing by press confer...More

2000-12-23 Ten tax wishes for Christmas (Calgary Sun)
National Post
Published: Wednesday, June 27, 2001Ten tax wishes for ChristmasEach year during the holidays almost everyone makes a list. For some it's a wish list of Christmas presents to receive. For others, it's a list...More

2000-11-29 Time for a new voting system (Globe and Mail)
Globe and Mail
Published: Wednesday, November 29, 2000We Vote to Scrap the System
(This OPED was co-authored by Walter Robinson and Judy Rebick)On Monday night the votes of millions of Canadians didn't count. Our arch...More

2000-09-21 Twelve billion reasons to cut gas taxes (Halifax Chronicle-Herald)
Halifax Chronicle-Herald
Published: Thursday, September 21, 2000There are 12 billion reasons to cut gas taxesSo let's get this straight. Ottawa raked in a $12 billion surplus last year but Finance Minister Paul Martin r...More

2000-02-21 Bracket creep ... by the Numbers (Ottawa Business Journal)
Ottawa Business Journal
Published: Monday, February 21, 2000Numbers for bracket creepsAs Finance Minister Paul Martin prepares to deliver the federal budget Monday, one thing is abundantly clear: he cannot satisfy ever...More
Back to top